Manifolding



Nov. 8, 1938. A. A. JOHNSON MAN IFOLDING Filed Feb. 18, 1929 PatentedNov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE I MANIFOLDING i ApplicationFebruary 18, 1929, Serial No. 340,671

17 Claims.

This invention relates to manifolding, and more particularly to a pileof continuous worksheet strips and interleaved carbon strips to be usedin making original copies and duplicates thereof.

Heretofore, in order to maintain the carbon sheets in desired relationlaterally with respect gummed together, they must be separated byhand inorder to free the carbon strip of the worksheets after the Writing hasbeen performed thereon.

An object of this invention is to provide means for holding the carbonstrip to its associated worksheet strip against lateral movement withoutactually securing or fixedly connecting these strips.

In accomplishing this object, the present invention'provides means whichtemporarily holds the worksheet strip and the carbon strip together andbecomes inoperative to do so when the strip is cut-up or severed intoform lengths. In the specific embodiment of the invention hereinillustrated as exemplary thereof, this means comprises a physicalalteration on one of the strips interlocking with a physical alterationon the other of the strips to prevent lateral movement of the carbonstrip and worksheet strip relatively; and the physical alterations arepreferably located on the line of severance between printed forms on theworksheet strip so as to have its interlocking function destroyed orrendered inoperative when the strips are severed into form lengths.

A further feature of this invention is the ar- Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe pile made in accordance with the present invention, showing thevarious strips torn away at certain points to more clearly illustratethe structure of the underlying strips.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the pile shown in Fig. 2, thethicknesses of the sheets being exaggerated to more clearly show theirarrangement.

Fig. 4 is like Fig. 3, but shows a modification of the structure shownin Fig. 3. I

, Fig. 5 is a side view of a typewriter platen with its cooperatingpaper apron, showing the manner in which the pile is fed around theplaten.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a fragment of the carbon strip I3 and worksheetstrip l0, showing a modified form of fastening means in which theunintentional withdrawal of the tongue in the carbon strip from the slitin the worksheet strips is prevented. The improved manifolding pack ofthe present invention comprises a plurality of continuous worksheetstrips l0 each of which has a succession of printed forms ll preferablyseparated by lines of perforations l 2. Located between each twoadjacent strips in is a carbon or transfer strip l3 through the mediumof which original writing performed (either by hand or by typewritingmachine) on the top strip I0 is reproduced on the understrip H). Tofacilitate the severing of one set of forms from that immediatelyfollowing, after the work has been completed on the form, the carbonstrip l3 also may be provided with lines of perforations l4 placed inregister with the perforations l2 on the worksheets ID.

The pile of strips Ill and I! after being superposed may be foldedzig-zag at form length intervals along their respective lines ofperforations l2 and I 4 to form a pack l5 shown in Fig. 1,'or they maybe folded at every second or third form within the scope of thisinvention if desired.

The worksheet strips l0, being physically separate strips and beingunsecured together, are preferably provided with suitable means formaintaining them in alignment and registration in the writing machine.This aligning means may be of any known kind, for instance it may belike that shown, which consists of marginal rows of aligning apertures I6 provided in the worksheets to be engaged, fed and aligned by pins I!on pin wheels I8 carried by a platen I! of a typewriting machine, asshown in Fig. 5. The apertures It in the several worksheet strips Illhave the same relation to the printing on the forms ll so that when theapertures are aligned the printing on one form it will register withthat on the other form it directly beneath it.

The carbon strip I3 is made narrower than the worksheet strips Ill sothat the side edges 20 thereof are inwardly removed .from the rows ofapertures l6, for it is not desired to have the carbon strips providedwith similar marginal apertures. The carbon strip is made wide enough tocover a zone of printing on the printed form H, and accordingly for thebest results some means must be provided for preventing the lateraldisplacement of the carbon strip to such an extent that the under copyis partially uncovered by the carbon strip, which would of course resultin the indicia written above the uncovered zone being omitted ontheunder strip It. It is also important to prevent lateral displacement ofthe carbon strip l3 to such an extent that one of the edges 20 thereofmay overlie the apertures IS in the worksheet strips Ill. If this shouldhappen, the unperforated carbon strip would prevent the pins fromproperly entering the worksheet strip above it and would cause theworksheet strips to become torn and balled-up, and thus jam the writingmachine against successful operation.

To obviate these difliculties, it was heretofore proposed to gum eachcarbon strip to one of the two worksheets between which it lies and thismeans is adequate for the purpose. However, when this is done, thecarbon and worksheet strips must of necessity be separated by the userto permit writing on the back of the form. In addition to this being aseparate hand operation to be performed by the operator, a spot of glueis usually left on the worksheet and sometimes a piece of carbon paperadheres to the back of the worksheet. Moreover, it sometimes occurs inseparating the carbon and worksheets which are gummed together that theworksheet is inadvertently torn, although if the separating operation iscarefully done, this does not occur.

An object of the present invention is to retain the advantageousfeaturesof the gummed pile of worksheets and carbon sheets and yet permit theeasy removal of the carbon sheet from the worksheets when the strips aretorn into form or sheet lengths. Actually, according to the presentinvention, the fastening means is automatic in this respect, and withoutattention on the part of the operator does become inoperative to holdthe sheets together when the sheet lengths are severed from theirstrips.

In its more specific aspect, the fastening means of the presentinvention, as stated above, comprises physical alteration of one of thestrips interlocking; with physical alteration on the other of thestrips, and, when thus interlocked, these physical alterations preventthe carbon strip l3 and worksheet strip l0 from laterally movingrelative to each other.

In the embodiment of the invention herein shown as exemplary thereof,the physical a1- terations in the carbon strip comprise a series oftongues 2| cut from the carbon strip l3; and those in the worksheetstrip l0 consist of a series of slits 22. As shown, the tongues 2| andslits 22 are arranged at form length intervals, so that there is onetongue and one slit for each form length of the carbon strip andworksheet strip respectively.

When the strips are brought together in superposed relation to form apile, each tongue 2| in the carbon strip I3 is passed through the slit22 in the worksheet strip I0, and since the slit is substantially thewidth of the tongue, the side edges 23 of the tongue engage the ends 24of the slit and prevent lateral movement of the carbon strip i3 andworksheet strip l0 relatively. The tongue 2|, lying as it does on theface of the worksheet strip I0, holds the carbon strip to the latteragainst accidentally falling apart.

In the preferred form of the invention, the tongue 2| is not gummed tothe worksheet, although it may be if desired, but is loose relativethereto, and thus considerable longitudinal movement of the carbonstrip'|3 and worksheet strip I0 is permitted without there being anytendency for the strips to be torn.

If it is desired to prevent any such longitudinal movement of the onestrip relatively to the other, the side edges 23a of the tongue 22a, asshown in Fig. 6, may be made to project beyond the end 24 of the slit22, in which case a projecting shoulder 23b will prevent retrogrademovement of the tongue through the slit 22. The tongue 2| a may beinserted in the slit 2?. which is somewhat narrower than the greatestwidth of the tongue by bending or buckling the tongue while insertingit.

The slit 22 and the base 25 of the tongue 2| are preferably coincidentwith the lines of perforations l2 and I respectively on the worksheetstrip l0 and carbon strip It, as shown in the accompanying drawing. Thisarrangement facilitates the insertion of the tongue through the slitbecause the slit and tongue occur on the line of fold when the pile iszig-zag folded to form a pack i5.

The arrangement referred to also has other advantages, one of thesebeing that by so placing the interlocking tongue 2| and slit 22 on thelines of perforations I4 and I2, when the strips are severed into formlengths, the slit is cutin half, 1. e. opened, and the tongue thus iscompletely free of the worksheet, the interlocking relation or fasteningof the worksheet and carbon sheet being rendered inoperative ordestroyed. Hence it will be noted, that when the pile is severed intoform lengths, the operator does not have to tear or pull the worksheetand carbon sheet apart, as is the case when these two are gummedtogether.

Moreover, by having the base 25 of the tongue 2| located on the line ofseverance, the removal of the carbon sheet from between the two formsafter the forms and carbon sheets are separated from their strips, isfacilitated, for at one end of each carbon sheet so severed is a notch26 resulting from the cutting out of the tongue 2| therefrom, while atthe other end of the carbon sheet the tongue 2| projects beyond theedges of the worksheets. By grasping the worksheets at the pointdirectly under the notch 26 with the fingers of one hand and the tongue2| with the fingers of the other hand and pulling the hands apart, by asingle operation the carbon sheet is stripped from between the forms It.

Thus, by the present invention, I have provided means for fastening thecarbon strip to the worksheet strip, and have also so arranged thefastening means that said means has the additional function offacilitating the removal of the carbon sheets from between the formsafter the work has been completed. In this respect, the presentinvention is to be considered an improvement on my copendingapplication, Serial No. 332,063, filed January 12, 1929, in which thereis described and claimed means for facilitating the removal they areinterleaved.

It is preferable that the tongue be so formed that its base or root 25is in advance of its tip 21 in the direction of travel of the pile ofstrips. This is shown in Fig. 3, in which the travel of the strip isindicated by the arrow A.

If the direction of travel is reversed, as shown in Fig. 4 by the arrowB, then the tongues should be provided with a straight angle bend at 28so that they will, not withstanding the change of direction of travel,lie with the roots 25 in advance of the tips 21. This is done so as toprevent the tongues from catching onto anything in entering or passingthrough the writing machine during its feeding operation. r

The tongue 2| and slit 2! have been described as being formed in thecarbon strip l3 and the worksheet strip l0 respectively. But, it shouldbe understood that the arrangement may be reversed without departingfrom the spirit and scope of this invention, and the tongue may beprovided in the worksheet strip while the slit is provided in the carbonsheet strip. This latter arrangement, however, is not so preferable asthe other, because the worksheet strip would of necessity be imperfector irregular, having at one 'end a notch and at the other end atongue--at times an undesired condition.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of thisinvention and portions or the improvements may be used without others.

Having thusdescribed the invention, what is claimed as new and for whichit is desired to obtain Letters Patent, is:

1. A manifolding pile comprising a continuous worksheet strip and acarbon strip of the same length running therewith in superposedrelation, one of said strips having tongues formed thereon at intervalstherealong and extending longitudinally thereof, and the other of saidstrips having a slot for each tongue on the other strip adapted tointerlock with said tongue, said tongues and slots when interlockedpreventing lateral movement of the worksheet strip and the carbon striprelatively and yet permitting easy separation of the strips from eachother.

2. A manifolding pile comprising a continuous worksheet strip and acarbon strip or the same length running therewith in superposedrelation, one of said strips having a series of tongues cut from thematerial thereof at intervals therealong and the other of said stripshaving a series of ,slots cut therein, each of said tongues beingadapted to project through one of said slots to hold the carbon stripand the worksheet strip against relative lateral movement and yetpermltting easy separation of" the strips from each other.

3. A manifolding pile comprising a continuous worksheet strip and acarbon strip of the same length running therewith in superposedrelation, and means including a part of one of said strips cooperatingwith a part of theother of said strips for holding said strips together,the worksheet strip being provided with lines of severance at formlength intervals therealong, and said means being located on a line ofseverance so as to be rendered inoperative to hold the strips togetherwhen said worksheet strip is separated into form lengths along said lineof severance.

4. A manifolding pile comprising a continuous worksheet strip and acarbon strip of the same length running therewith in superposedrelation, said worksheet strip being provided with transsaid carbonstrip having a. tongue cut therefrom and adapted to project through saidslit.

5. A manifolding pile comprising a continuous worksheet strip and acarbon strip of the same length running therewith in superposedrelation, said strips being provided with transverse lines ofperforations dividing the strips into form lengths, and the lines ofperforations in one of said strips including in each a slit, the otherof said strips having a tongue, to enter each of said slits, cut fromthe strip and having the base of the tongue coinciding with the line ofperforations in the strip containing the tongue, the tongue on one stripbeing adapted to interlock with the slit in the other strip. 4

6. A manifolding pile comprising a plurality of continuous worksheetstrips having a succession of form-lengths separated by lines'ofseverance and a carbon strip-between each two adjacent from between thetwo resulting worksheets.

'7. A manifolding pile comprising a plurality of worksheet strips each'divided into form lengths by transverse lines of severance; a carbonstrip for each two worksheet strips located between the latter of thesame length and running with the worksheet strips in superposedrelation, said carbon strip being provided with transverse lines ofseverance in registration with the. lines of severance in the worksheetstrips; and means on the carbon strip and on one of said worksheetstrips interlocking to hold the carbon strip and worksheet striptogether, said means comprising 'a tongue formed on one of the twolast-named strips and having its base located at the line of severanceof that strip, said tongue, and the notch resulting from the cutting-outof said tongue, constituting means for facilitating the removal of thecarbon sheet from between the workshet strips after the strips aresevered into sheets.

8. A manifolding pile comprising a plurality of continuous worksheetstrips'having a succession of form lengths separated by lines ofseverance and a carbon strip between each two adjacent worksheet stripsrunning therewith in. superposed relation, and means located on thelines of severance for holding the carbon strip to one of the worksheetsof the two between which it lies during the filling-in of a form printedon the worksheet strip, said means including a tongue on the carbonstrip protruding beyond the worksheets and operative after the worksheetstrips and carbon strips are severed into form lengths to facilitate thequick removal of the resulting carbon sheet from between the tworesulting worksheets.

9. A manifolding pile comprising a plurality of continuous worksheetstrips having a sucbetween which it lies during the filling-in of a formprinted on the worksheet strip, said means including a tongue cut out ofthe carbon strip and extending. over the line of severance, the notchresulting from the formation of said tongue underlying the worksheetstrip and operative after the worksheet strips and carbon strips aresevered into form lengths to facilitate the quick removal of theresulting carbon sheet from between the two resulting worksheets.

10. A manifolding pile comprising a plurality of superposed strips, saidstrips having a plurality of connections with each other arranged atintervals longitudinally thereof and including tongues on one of thestrips and slots in the other by means of which the strips areinterlocked for movement together, one of the strips having tonguesalone and the other of the strips having slots alone.

11. A manifolding pile comprising a plurality of superposed strips, saidstrips having a plurality of connections with each other arranged atintervals'longitudinally thereof and including tongues on one of thestrips and slots in the other by means of which the strips areinterlocked for movement together, said strips having transverse linesof severance at intervals longitudinally thereof, and said slots beinglocated on the lines of severance to be made inoperative to hold thetongues when the strips are separated along said lines of severance.

12. A manifolding pile comprising a plurality of superposed strips, saidstrips having a plural-' ity of connections with each other arranged atintervals longitudinally thereof and including tongues on one of thestrips and slots in the other by means of which the strips areinterlocked for'movement together, said tongues extending through saidslots and each forming a straight angle with the portion of the strip towhich it is attached.

13. A manifolding pile comprising a plurality of superposed strips, saidstrips having a plurality of connections with each other arranged atintervals longitudinally thereof and including tongues on one of thestrips and slots in the other by means of which the strips areinterlocked for movement together, said tongues ex" tendinglongitudinally of the strips and through said slots and each beingfolded back so as to overlie a portion of the strip to which it isattached.

14. A manifolding pile comprising a plurality of superposed strips, saidstrips having a plurality of connections with each other arranged atintervals longitudinally thereof and including tongues on one of thestrips and slots in the other by means of which the strips areinterlocked for movement together, said tongues each having a portionprotruding through the slot wider than the latter to prevent withdrawalof the tongue through the slot.

15. superposed record strips and a transfer strip interleaved withadjacent record strips, said strips being divided by transverseweakening lines into a succession of registered record sheets andinterposed transfer sheets, the weakening lines of the transfer stripbeing each interrupted to form segments, such segments being joined byan incision shaped to form a tab.

16. superposed record strips divided at intervals by registering linesto form sets of superposed record sheets, and a transfer strip betweenadjacent record strips, the transfer strip at like intervals havingsegmental weakening lines and a supplementary incision angularlyterminating at the adjacent ends of such segmental lines. o

17. A transfer strip divided by weakening lines to form a succession oftransfer sheets, each line including separate segments joined by anincision shaped to form a tab.

ARTHUR A. JOHNSON.

